Apia

Japanwww.apiajapan.com

I've always loved having Apia on our racks. They're a clever, high-spec rod maker from Japan who just do things their own way — they don't chase the lightest or the steeliest rod going because that's the fashion. They sit back and try to make the best fishing rod they can, and it shows in the blanks. An Apia rod will fish a wider spread of lure weights than most: real power when you load it up, but it still bends and works when you drop down small.

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About Apia

It's the blanks where Apia stand apart. They've found a way of building power and softness into the same rod that I don't fully understand and most brands don't manage. You can blast a lure at the top of the rod's rating and feel like you've got loads in hand, then tie on something much smaller and the rod still loads up and fishes it properly. That's a rare thing, and it's why an Apia rod will usually cover a wider band of lure weights than the rod it's sitting next to on the rack.

They're not built down to a price point either. Even within a single range you'll find the models are properly different rods rather than the same blank in a few lengths. The actions and the power shift from one to the next, and on the heavier models they'll sometimes beef up the guides to match what the rod's being asked to do.

They're not always the rod for someone chasing one very niche action, and they're never the lightest thing on paper. But for an angler who wants a rod that's genuinely versatile and a real pleasure to fish, Apia are one of the brands I'm always happy to point people towards. You get the sense they design these rods around how they fish themselves.